Fuse switch



T. B. BASH 1,769,936

FUSE SWITCH Filed March 16, 1925 7&1. m

INVENTOR 7/70/7749" Ema A rromv Y Patented July 8, 1930 PATENT OFFICE THOMAS B. BASH, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI FUSE SWITCH Application filed March 16, 1925. Serial No. 15,786.

This invention relates to lin switches for high tension electric current.

The switch contemplates the provision of a novel form of fuse cartridge with a fusible element therein which will blow or disrupt whenever there is a surge in the line and the invention also contemplates a novel form of fuse holder or switch mechanism, the fuse cartridge constituting the movable element of the switch and it is hinged to a bracket in such a manner that the circuit will be completed when the fuse is swung into engagement with a contact complementary to the element which supports it. The fuse is so constructed that it will not be liable to deteriorate or cause shorts even when exposed to the elements, it being primarily intended as an outdoor switch and the invention also contemplates a novel form of fuse support- .ing bracket.

All of the above mentioned advantages will be apparent and the nature of the invention will be better understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a bracket supporting a switch in accordance with my invention, the fuse cartridge being shown in section.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the lower hinged parts of the switch.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 33 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a puller stick for disconnecting the fuse from its contact.

Referring now to the drawings by numerals of reference, 1 designates a cross arm which may be of any preferred construction and it may be well here to state that the cross arm is merely illustrative of a suitable support. I ()n the cross arm is a securing member 2 constructed like a U-bolt and so as to embrace three sides of the cross arm or support and which is adapted to hold the bracket 3 to a support when the nuts 4 and 5 are on the threaded ends of the member 2. The bracket 3 has a substantially horizontal bracket arm 6 nd a vertical arm 7. The arm 6 carries 2. ac o M l aw 8 adapted to cooperate vs tie bolt 11. The end 10 of the arm 6 is curved to be received in a seat 12 on the upper end of the jaw 9 so that the jaw 9 may rock slightly on the end 10 to seat around the neck 13 of the insulator 14. The slight spring and rocking effect of the movable jaw 9 is conducive to a self seating support for the in sulator 14.

The lower end of the arm-7 is constructed substantially like the arm 6. It has a ri id jaw 15 and a movable jaw 16, the mova le jaw having a seat 17 rockable .on the curved portion 18 so that the jaws 15 and 16 will seat around the neck of" the insulator 19 in substantially the same way that the jaws 8 and 9 seat on the insulator 14. The insulators 14 and 19 have downwardly disposed outstanding arms 20 and 21 which carry the contacts for the fuse which constitutes the conductor for connecting the two contacts 22 and 23 of the switch. The contact 22 carries end of the fuse tightly enough to hold it i from accidental displacement when the fuse is swung down to circuit breaking position. The clip 25 has two parallel cars 30 and 31 which straddle the blade 32 on the end of the arm 21, the clip being secured to the blade 32 by a pivot pin 33. The blade 32 is provided with a shoulder 34 against which the shoulder 35 on the clip 25 is adapted to abut so that the clip can be swung down only a predetermined distance. The purpose of this will be apparent hereinafter.

The arm 21 carries a clip 36 which is fastened to the arm 21 by a binding post 37 complementary to the bindiiw post 24. The clip 36 U-shaped and it has reinforced spring fingers 38 and 39 against its fingers to provide the necessary spring to insure proper contact with. the fuse.

As heretofore the i s constitutes the i in for c Wiring-the cir the 99 1'. fuse is of novel construction. It consists of an elongated inner tube carrying at its respective ends metal contact members 41 and 42. The contact member 41 is receivable in the clip 25 and held by friction sufiicient to prevent the fuse from releasing therefrom by gravity when the fuse is swung down below a horizontal plane. The metallic contact 41 is provided with a stop member 43 which may abut against the upper edge of the clip 25 to prevent the contact member from entering the clip 36 too far. The metallic contact 41 is provided with a recessed lug 44 to receive a screw 45 to bind the fusible element or ribbon 46 to the contact member 41. The ribbon 46 passes through the tube 40 and through the opening 47 in the contact member 42 so that the screw 48 in the threaded lug 49 can bind the other end of the ribbon to the contact member 42. The contact member 42 is provided with an edge 50 which fits over the lead washer or gasket 51 on the end of the porcelain tube 52 which surrounds the tube 40 in spaced relation and at the sides and front portion of the edge 50 are openings 53 to permit air to circulate through the space 54 between the tubes 40 and 52 after it has been admitted through the bottom opening 55 in the contact member 41.

It will be observed that the openings in the respective contacts are on the sides and front portions so that liability of moisture entering the space 54 will be' eliminated This is due to the fact that the fuse is inclined upwardly in a. forward direction and extends into the contact 42 which is closed at its upper end but it extends through the contact 41 so that the open end of the fuse is at the bottom and inclined rearwardly. The purpose of so constructing the fuse is to be sure that in the event that the fuse blows the hot gases and molten metal of the fusable ribbon will be blown downwardly and rearwardly away from the operator or lineman, thus eliminating liability of inury.

Interposed between the ends of the porcelain tube 52 is a corrugated petticoat 58 cast integral with the tube. The purpose of the petticoatis to increase the dry creepage distance of the fuse and to eliminate liability of flashover in wet weather. The use of the petticoat 58 enables the fuse to be made relatively short on account of the fact that the petticoat 58 does increase the dry creepage distance and because it prevents flashover from contact to contact.

The binding post'24 is preferably theleadin post and the binding post 37 is the outlet post for the current. The contact element 42 is provided with a loop socket 59 having a pin 60, the latter being adapted to be engaged by the opening 61 of the blade 62 on the puller stick 63 so that when the blade 62 is introduced into the loop the operator may pull the switch without danger of shock. It will be observed that the pivot 33 can be adjusted so that the ears 30 and 31 will engage the blade 32 frictionally, this will prevent the heavy cartridge from dropping free when pulled out of the top contact 22 and as above stated the contact can only swing down a determined distance on account of the stop 34 and stop 35.

The bottom contact 41 has two side ribs 64 and 65 which slip into the side grooves 28 and 29 of the clip 25 to insure the cartridge contacts lining up with the stationary clips when the cartridge is thrown into circuit making position. The U-shaped construction of the hinged member provides clearance for the fuse that turns back to go under the bottom contact before it is fastened to the member 44 and the stop 43 is to prevent the cartridge from being pushed into the hinge casing beyond a certain distance.

I have shown only one air opening of the bottom cartridge at the front portion so it will be observed that water draining from the tube 52 cannot enter the air space between the fibre tube and the porcelain tube and, as heretofore explained, the openings at the top of the tube permit the air to escape but prevent water from entering the tube.

The lead washer on both ends of the porcelain tube is recommended to make a water proof joint and at the same time prevent breaking the tube when compressed between the bottom and the top casting. The compression is accomplished by screwing the top casting onto the fibre tube as indicated at 66. The bottom casting is preferably secured to the lower end of the tube by a press fit and set screw.

It will be apparent that the fuse can be pulled or disengaged from the upper contact 22 by introduclng the puller stick without danger to the operator.

It is believed that the advantages and the novelty of the invention will be apparent from the foregoing description and while I have specifically described in detail the novel features of my invention I do not wish to be limited to the exact detail shown in the drawings, but reserve the right to make changes in minor details of construction without depart-111g from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

What I claim and desire to secure by Lettors-Patent is 1". A fuse comprising two concentric insulatmg tubes, one within the other in spaced relation, contacts at the ends of the tubes, one of said contacts adapted to close its end of close its end of each tube and a fusible ele-' ment passing through and beyond the ends of the tubes and connecting the contacts.

2. A fuse cartridge comprising a pair of contacts having tube receiving portions, an inner tube of insulating material engaging and terminating within one contact and extending through the other contact, an outer insulating tube disposed between the contacts in spaced relation with the inner tube, the outer tube communicating with atmosphere at each of its ends between the outer ends or faces of said contacts, and a fusible link passing through the inner tube and connecting the contacts.

3. A fuse comprising two concentric insulating tubes, one within the other in spaced relation, contacts at the ends of the tubes and a fusible element passing through the inner tube and connecting the contacts, the outer tube having a petticoat integral therewith and intermediate itsends. 4. A fuse comprising two concentric insulating tubes, one within the other in spaced relation, contacts at the ends of the tubes and a fusible element passing through the inner tube and connecting the contacts, the outer tube having a petticoat integral therewith disposed outwardly and downwardly intermediate its ends.

5. A fuse comprising two insulating tubes,

one within the other in spaced relation, con-.

tacts at the ends of the tubes and a fusible element passing through the inner tube and connecting the contacts, the inner tube extending into and engaging the contacts,.the outer tube being clamped between them.

6. A fuse comprising two concentric insulating tubes, one wit-hinthe other in spaced relation, contacts at the ends of the tubes, a fusible element passing through the inner tube and connecting the contacts, and lead washers engaged between the ends of the outer tube and the contacts.

7. A fuse comprising two concentric insulating tubes, one within the other in spaced relation, contacts carried by one of the tubes, and a fusible element passing through the inncrtube connecting the contacts, one con tact having an airinlet communicating with the space between the tubes and the other contact having an air outlet communicating said space with atmosphere.

8. A fuse comprismgseparate contacts, having tube receiving portlons, an inner tube of insulating material carried by the contacts and*extending entirely through one of the contacts, an outer insulating tube in spaced relation with the inner tube and clamped between the contacts, and a fusible element passing through the inner tube and connected to the contacts.

9. A fuse comprising spaced supporting second terminal being said arms, contact members, an outer insulating tube held between the contact mem bers, an inner insulating tube concentric with the outer tube and spaced therefrom, the inner tube attached to the contact members and extending beyond the end of one of them, and a fusible conductor extending through the inner tube and connected with the contact members, the contact members having openings communicating with the space between the inner and outer tubes for the purpose set forth.

10. A fuse comprising separate contacts, having tube receiving portions, an inner tube of insulating material received in the contacts and extending entirely through one of the contacts, an outer insulating tube in spaced relation with the inner tube and clamped between the contacts, and a fusible element passing through the inner tubeand coneral arms, a fuse supporting member carried by and hingedly connected with one of the arms, aligning contact clips carried by the arms, and a fuse adapted to be readily, detacliably associated with the hingedly mounted member for removably engaging the contact clips.

12. In combination, a bracket having lateral arms, a hingedly mounted fuse-supporting member carried by one of the arms, aligning contact clips carried by the arms, a fuse supported by the hingedly mounted member for removably engaging the contact clips, and a stop on the hinge for limiting the swinging movement of the fuse from the clips.

13. A fuse cartridge comprising an insulating tube, a fuse element therein, a terminal therefor, adapted to engage the insulating tube and to receive the fuse element in electrical contact from the open end of the tube, and second terminal adapted to receive the other end of said fuse element in electrical contact from the other end of the tube, the second terminal adj ustably engaging the insulating tube and a waterproofing tube surrounding the insulating tu e and adapted to be held in position by said terminals.

'14. A fuse cartridge comprising an insulating-tube, a fuse element therein, a terminal therefor adapted to receive the insulating tube therethrough and the fuse element in electrical contact from the open end of the tube, a second terminal adapted to receive the other end of said fuse element in electrical contact from the other end of the tube, the

screwed thereto andv enclosing the insulating tube, and a waterproofing .tube surrounding the insulating tube adapted to be held in position'by the said terminals.

15. A fuse cartridge comprising an insulating tube, a fuse element therein, a terminal therefor adapted to receive the insulating tube therethrough and the fuse element in electrical contact from the open end of the tube, a second terminal adapted to receive the other end of said fuse element in electrical contact from the other end of the tube, the second terminal being screwed thereto and enclosing the insulatin tube, and a. waterproofing tube surroun ing the insulating tube, abutting the first-named terminal, and adapted to be held in position by the clamping action of the enclosing terminal as it is screwed on the insulating tube.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

THOMAS B. BASH. 

